Boot soling apparatus



Sept. 12, 1950 w. E. DEWEY 2,522,021

I BOOT-SOLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1947 '2 Sheets-Sheet l W.E DEWEY.

Sept. 12, 1950 w. E. DEWEY 2,522,021

BOOT-SOLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 I06 I /o awe/Mom Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noo'r SOLING APPARATUS Weytus E. Dewey, Omaha, Nebr. Application February 24, 1947, Serial No. 730,217

Claims. 1

This invention relates. to rubber boot sole applying devices and more particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a rubber boot soling apparatus adapted to quickly and easily apply a rubber sole to a boot.

In breweries and other factories, in which Workers spend a largepart of their time standing and walking on wet cement floors, it is necessary to wear water-proof boots. Such boots frequently wear out because of the constant use in contact with relatively abrasive cement surfaces. It has been difficult, with devices of a prior art, to apply rubber soles to such boots to repair them. Part of this difficulty has been due to the fact that the vulcanizing pressure used in such devices has been provided by metal springs, the

latter varying in tension with variations in therprior art. I

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a boot soling apparatus in which the vulcaniaing pressure is provided by means of a rubber rather than a metal spring so that the pressure will be constant and not subject to variations because of changes in thermal conditions.

Further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a device forthe purposes described which is provided with a quickly adjustable means for applying pressure to force a boot sole into a mold and in the provision of quickly releasable means for releasing such pressure and for permitting the removal of .a boot from the mold after a sole has been applied thereto.

Another object of the invention resides in a foot of a-construction particularly adapted to apply an even pressure to the inside bottom of a boot and further adapted to be easilyinserted and removed froma boot at the beginning and of a device as described evenlyover the bottom of a bootand to provide such a boot of several pivotally interconnected parts so as to be collapsible for easy removal from a boot following resoling operations.

Other and still furth r objects and advantages of the invention willbe'come apparent from the terconnecttwo of the corner members 82.

2 following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the boot soling apparatus of the invention shown as applied to 'a boot, the latter being shown in dotted lines, certain resistance wire supporting pegs employed not being shown. I

Figure 2 is a frontal elevation of the apparatus, as shown in Figure 1, a portion of the lever handle thereof being broken away;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the deviceshown in Figure 1; P

Figure i is a view-imsection taken along the line ii of Figure 1, showing, in addition, a series of pegs for supporting resistance wiring thereon; Figure 5 is a detailed side elevation of a rubber spring employed and those parts which cause the force of the rubber spring to be exerted downwardly upon a rod employed, the parts being shown as they are positioned at a time when the spring is compressed; Y

Figure 6 is a side elevation similar to Figure 5 but showing the various parts in the positions they are in at times when the spring is in an expanded position, certain parts thereof being shown in section and other parts being broken away;

Figure '7 is a detailed frontal elevation of a link and a broken away portion of a sliding pipe both used in interconnecting a lever and a plate of the invention, the latter member being abutted against the under side of the rubber spring shown in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a view in section taken along the line 8-4; of Figure 9,; v

Figure 9 is a view in section taken along the line 9--9 in Figure 3 shown with a boot and extra repair outsole and heel in position in the mold; and

Figure 1-0 is a side elevation of a foot employed, a portion thereof being shown in section. i The boot soling apparatus of this invention includes an upright frame generally indicated at 4-0 and including four corner members is formed of angle iron or other suitable material. T-he corner members [-2 are widely spaced apart at their base and secured together by two base frame members It which may also be formed of angle iron. The base frame members it each in- The base frame members iii are themselves interconnected by one or more spacing bars iii, the latter being suitably secured to and supported by the'baseframemembers l4.

The corner members I2 are arranged in pairs, each member of a pair being positioned at opposite ends of the same base frame member I4. The upper ends of the corner members l2 of each pair are inclined toward each other and are secured together by a pair of upper frame members I8 which may be also formed of angle iron. A platform is rigidly secured to and interconnects the upper spacing frame members [8, the bar of the platform 20 being of a length coextensive with the base spacing bars [6.

A resistance wire supporting plate 22 is horizontally disposed across the lower end of the frame In and is supported upon and secured to the base frame members M. The plate 22 is provided with two spaced apart rows of spaced apart pegs 24 extending upwardly from the upper side thereof as shown in Figure 4, the pegs 24 not being shown in Figures 1 and 2 for convenience of illustration.

A resistance wire 26 is arranged in zigzag fashion over the pegs 24, and the ends of the wire 26 extend outwardly beyond the sides of the plate 22. The ends of the wire 26 are covered by suitable insulation 28, as best shown in Figure 4, the extreme ends 30 of the wire 26 being electrically connected to a later described thermo-switch.

A mold 32, preferably of a rectangular shape and formed of aluminum, is horizontally positioned between the corner frame members l2 and I is spaced upwardly from the resistance wire supporting plate 22. Such spacing is achieved through the support of suitable spaced upstanding bolts 34 threadedly secured in apertures, not. shown, to the upper side of the plate 22, around the circumference thereof. The bolts 34 are similarly threadedly secured to the lower side of the mold 32 and the mold 32 is maintained in a plane parallel to the plate 22 by a plurality of spacing cylinders 36, each of which is positioned about one of the bolts 34 and between the plate 22 and mold 32.

The resistance wire 26 is preferably enclosed to prevent heat loss although for convenience of illustration air spaces are shown at 31 and 38.

The upper side of the mold 32 is provided with two indentations 42 therein, the side walls of the indentations 42 being of a contour complemental to a right and a left boot sole, respectively. The bottom wall of each of the indentations 42 is of a contour complemental to the bottom of a boot sole and the bottom Walls of the indentations 42 are provided with upstanding ridges 44 so that those portions of the indentations 42 which are A tube 52 is inserted in a suitable aperture 54 in the mold 32.

The aperture 54 extends transversely of both of the indentations 42 and preferably beneath the arch portions 55 of the mold 32 as best shown in Figure 9. The tube 52 is sealed on its inner end and on its outer end is in communication with a conduit 56, the latter being in communication at its other end with the thermo-switch 5|. The tube 52 and conduit 56 are filled with mercury or other suitable material so that at times when the temperature, in the mold 32, becomes high,

the mercury will expand, eventually causing the operation of the thermo-switch "5| for breaking the circuit to stop the flow of heat from the resistance wire 26.

between the ridges 44 will cause treads to form upon the soles of boots vulcanized in the mold.

A boot is shown in position in the mold 32 in Figures 1, 8 and. 9. The boot includes an instep portion 45, a counter portion 46, an upper portion 41, and an outsole 48. A rubber repair outsole 49 is shown in position beneath the outsole 48; and a rubber repair heel 49' is shown beneath the heel 5D. In such positions the boot, repair heel, and outsole are ready for repair vulcanizing operations.

The mold 32 is regulated by means of a thermoswitch shown at 5!, the latter being in electrical connection with the ends 40 of the resistance wire 26. The thermoswitch 5! is one of the type descrbed in United States Patent No. 1,825,591. The thermo-switch 5| may be regulated by means of a dial 53 and set to stop the flow'of electrical current through the resistance wire 26 after such Zvire has reached a certain preselected temperaure. of the vulcanizing operation may be regulated.

In this manner the time and temperature Pressure is applied downwardly on the inside of a boot being vulcanized by means of a foot 80. When a pair of boots, a right and a left, are to be repaired in the same mold, two feet 60 are employed. Since the latter are substantially similar, only one will be described herein. Each foot 60 may be of one piece construction; preferably, however, the feet 60 are of articulated collapsible construction each having an upright ankle portion 52 for extending through the upper portion 41 of the boot. A heel portion 64 is provided having a fiat under surface adapted to be positioned on the inside of the counter portion 46 of the boot and above the heel. The heel portion 64 is provided with outstanding spaced apart cars 66 extending upwardly from the upper side thereof. The ears 6B are longitudinally disposed with respect to the boot.

The lower end of the upright portion 62 of each foot 60 is bifurcated and provided with a slot therethrough disposed longitudinally with respect to the boot. The bifurcated lower end of the upper portion 62 is further provided with an aperture extending therethrough; and the ears 66 of the heel portion 64 are similarly provided with apertures. A rearward inter-connecting bar T0 is provided with an aperture at each of its ends and is disposed at one of its ends between the ears 66 and is pivotally secured thereto by a suitable pin 72 extending through the bar 10, and the apertures of the ears 66.

The forward end of the rearward interconnecting bar H3 is disposed between the bifurcated lower ends of the upper foot portion 62 and is pivotally secured therethrough by means of a second pin 14 extending through the apertures therein.

A forward interconnecting bar 16, also having apertures on its ends, is disposed on its upper and between the bifurcated lower ends of the upright foot portion 62 and is pivotally secured thereto by means of the pin 14. The lower end of the forward interconnecting bar 76 is disposed between a pair of upstanding spaced apart ears 18, the latter being positioned above or secured to an instep foot portion 80. A pin 82 is employed for securing the forward end of the interconnecting bar 16 to the cars 18.

The instep foot portions are fiat on their bottom and have sidewalls of shapes complemental to the contour of the inside of a right and a left boot as best shown in Figure 3. A pair of such feet 60 are employed for a pair of boots, the instep portions 80 of each of the feet 50 of a pair being of different sidewall contour for use in a different one of the indentations 42 and for use either with a right or a left foot.

Each upper foot portion 62 is provided with a vertically disposed opening 84 in the upper side thereof for snugly receiving one of a, pair of verwhen tically disposed rods 86, theflatter eachbeing positioned at substantially a right angle to and in alignment withthe bottoms of the indenta tions 42. The upper end of each rod 86 isslidably carried by the frame I0. Such a sli-dable I connection is formed by means including a pair of apertures to extending through the platform 20.- The apertures 90 are each of sufhcient size for receiving one of a pair of pipes 92 which latter are slidably disposed about the circumferences of the rods 86i Each pipe 92 is provided with threads 93 at its lower end, said lower end being disposed beneath and spaced from the platform 20. A pair of horizontally disposed plates 94 are threadedly "f secured, one each, on the lower ends of the pipes 92, each plate 94 having a threaded aperture of suitable size for that purpose. Between each plate 94 and the platform a spring 96 is posi tioned. The springs 96 will function if formed of metal. However, a compressible rubber material is preferably used for the reason that a metal spring will tend to vary intension with variances in temperature and a constant spring action is desired. The springs 95 are preferably formed fiat On their upper and lower ends; the sidewalls of the springs llo being round. Each spring 96 is provided with .avertical opening 98,.

94 upon the threads 93. The upper end of each pipe 92 is provided with an outwardly flanged portion M2, the latter being for the purpose of Widening the pipe 92 so that suitable apertures may be formed in each of two sides thereof for receiving a pair of pins I04 which extend outwardly at the sides of each pipe 92 to pivotally' interconnect that pipe 92 with a lower end of'a pair of later described links I06, the lower end of the links I06 being provided with suitable apertures for the purpose of receiving a pin led. One pair ofsuch links are employed for each pipe 92. a

The upper surface of each rod as is provided with a concave contour for receiving therein a complementally rounded ball end I08 of a lever IIO. Each lever II 0 is provided with a notch II2 therein between the main body portion of the lever, which latter may be of an elongated cylindrical shape, and the ball end portion I28 thereof. The upper surface of each rod S t-is provided with a bevelled corner II 4 slanting inwardly toward the axes of thatrod 86. The- Two links I06 are pivotally secured to each lever II 0,, at either side of the latter, by m-eans of a pin IIE which extends through an aperture in the upper end of each link I06 and through a suitable opening in the lever 'I I2. Each pin I I6, forming such pivotal connection, is positioned at a point spa edrromthe rounded end I08 of the corresponding lever II 0. The distance be tween each pin I I6 and the corresponding rounded end I08 of that corresponding lever I I!) is such that at times when that lever III] is positioned substantially in alignment with the corresponding rod 86, as best shown in Figure 5, the corresponding spring 96 will be compressed for urging that rod downwardly.

Means are provided for maintaining the levers III] in the position shown in Figure 5 and substantially in alignment with the rods 86. Such means include a transverse interconnecting member I20 extending between and secured at its ends to each ofthe links I 00 of a pair.

The interconnecting members I22 are spaced outwardly away from the sides of the links I06 in a direction away from the rod 86. Such spacing is accomplished by providing the interconnecting members I20 of a U-shaped construction, the arms of the U being in parallelism with and attached to the links I00, the mid portion of the U being transversely positioned with respect to those links I08 forming a pair of links to which that interconnecting member is attached.

The interconnecting members I2 0 are each provided with threaded apertures I22 extending therethrough as best shown in Figure 7. The apertures I22 are each for the purpose of receiving therethrough a set screw I24, the latter having its head I26 disposed in a direction away from the adjacent links I06. Each set screw I24 may be further provided with a lock nut I26 thereon for maintaining the screw in a desired position withrespect to the aperture I22. The other ends of the screws I24 are adapted to engage the rounded ball ends I08 of the levers Ilil at times when the levers IIO are in substantially vertical position as shown in Figure 5.

At such times, the lovers He will be prevented from falling rearwardly in a direction opposite the arrow I20 by the engagement of the set screws I24 with the ball ends I08. The levers IIO will also be prevented from falling in the direction of the arrow I20 by so setting the set screws I 24 that at times when the set screws I24 are in engagement with the ball ends I08, the center of contact between the ball ends I02 and the top concave surfaces of the corresponding bars 86 will be positioned to the set screw side of a line drawn between the pins I04 and I Hi. In other words, such center of contact will be disposed on the set screw side of the plane in which the corresponding pins I04 and I I6 lie.

As thus described, it will be seen that in operation the feet 60 may be removed from the rods 86 and inserted into the corresponding left and right boots of a pair. The boots may then be positioned in the corresponding indentations 42 in the mold 32, the repair outsole and repair heel being first placed thereunder. The rods 8t may then he slid into position in the openings 84 at the top of the upper or ankle portions 62 of the feet 60. During these operations each lever handle III] will be in a disengaged position away from the top of the corresponding rod 86. This is made possible by the swinging out- "wardly of the links I06 about the pivot pin I04 permitting each ball I08 to disengage from the upper end of it rod 86. g

The levers IIO may now be pushed upwardly into positions substantially in alignment with the rods 80 as best shown in Figure 5. The rods III) will be maintained in this position because of the particular adjustment of the set screws @12 2 will prevent the levers I I0 from falling forwardlys The levers I In will be prevented from falling rearwardly by so adjusting the set screws I24 that the centers of contact between the rounded ball ends I08 of the levers H are positioned to the set screw side of a line drawn between the pivot pins I04 and H6. In said position the springs 96 will exert a force upon the levers H0 in a direction preventing the latter from falling in the direction of the arrow I20 into their original positions.

When the levers H0 are in substantially vertical positions as described, the rubber springs 96 will be compressed and their force will be exerted downwardly on the rods 86, upon the instep foot portions 80 and heel foot portions 12 of the feet 60. Thus the boots will be forced into their respective indentations in the mold 32. The thermostatic switch 5| may then be adjusted for a selected mold temperature by a hand turning of the dial 53. The thermostatic switch 51 may then be put in contact with a source of electrical energy such as, for instance, a 110-volt circuit, by the use of a wall plug and cord, not shown, which latter is electrically connected to the thermostatic switch 5|.

Since the mold 32 is made of aluminum, it will heat quickly. The constant pressure of the rubber spring 96 forces the resole rubber into the recesses of the mold 32. After the desired period of time has elapsed, the expansible liquid in the tube 52 will have expanded through the conduit 56 and into the thermostatic switch 5|, sufliciently for causing the latter to shut off the flow of electrical current to the resistance wire 26.

The boots with their repair outscle and heel vulcanized securely thereto, may then be removed from the mold 32, such removal being facilitated by the collapsible construction of the feet 60 and also by the convenient and quick release of the springs 98 provided by pulling the levers I ll] rearwardly of the device and in the direction of the arrow I20, as shown in Figure 5, for moving the levers H9 into positions free from conflict with an upward sliding movement of the rods 86.

As thus described, it will be seen that this invention has provided a boot resoling apparatus which may be quickly and easily operated and which may be adjusted to provide any desired vulcanizing temperature or time conditions, which employs a rubber spring so that changes in thermal conditions will not cause variances in the curing pressure, which is of a construction permitting boots to be quickly and easily inserted and removed.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a boot soling apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification, including variations in the shape and size of the parts, without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A device for the purposes described comprising an upright frame; a mold carried by said frame for applying a sole to an upright boot, said mold having an indentation in the upper side thereof for receiving the bottom of said boot;

8 means for applying heat to said mold; a rod positioned at substantially a right angle to and in alignment with said indentation, the upper end of said rod being slidably carried by said frame; a foot in engagement with the lower end of said rod and in engagement with the inside of the bottom of said boot for applying pressure to said boot from said rod; a resilient means disposed above said mold, the upper end of said resilient means being abutted against said frame; a plate disposed against the lower end of said resilient means; and means interconnecting said plate and the upper end of said rod, said interconnect,- ing means being so constructed and so cooperatively arranged with .respect to said plate and said rod that said resilient means causes a force to be exerted by said foot on said boot for urging said sole into said indentation.

2. A device for the purposes described comprising an upright frame; a mold carried by said frame for applying-a sole to an upright boot, said mold having an indentation in the upper side thereof for receiving the bottom of said boot; means for applying heat to said mold; a rod positioned at substantially a right angle to and in alignment with said indentation, the upper end of said rod being slideably carried by said frame; a foot in engagement with the lower end of said rod and in engagement with the inside of the bottom of said boot for applying pressure to said boot from said rod; a resilient means disposed above said mold, the upper end of said resilient means being abutted against said frame; a plate disposed against the lower end of said resilient means, a member secured to said plate and extending normally upwardly therefrom; a lever disposed so that one of its ends is adapted to engage the upper end of said rod and to push downwardly on said rod at times; and a link pivotally attached at one of its ends to said lever at a point spaced from said one end of said lever, the other end of said link being pivotally secured to said member, the distance between the said one end of said lever and said point and the length of said link being such that at times when said lever is positioned substantially in alignment with said rod said spring will be compressed.

3. A device for the purposes described comprising an upright frame; a mold carried by said frame for applying a sole to an upright boot, said mold having an indentation in the upper side thereof for receiving the bottom of said boot; means for applying heat to said mold; a rod positioned at substantially a right angle to and in alignment with said indentation, the upper end of said rod being slidably carried by said frame; a foot in engagement with the lower end of said rod and in engagement with the inside of the bottom of said boot for applying pressure to said boot from said rod; a compressible rubber spring disposed above said mold, the upper end of said rubber spring being abutted against said frame; a plate disposed against the lower end of said rubber spring; and means interconnecting said plate and the upper end of said rod, said interconnecting means being so constructed and so cooperatively arranged with respect to said plate and said rod that said rubber spring causes a force to be exerted by said foot on said boot for urging said sole into said indentation.

4. A device for the purposes described comprising an upright frame; a mold carried by said frame for applying a sole to an upright boot, said mold having an indentation in the upper side thereof for receiving the bottom of said boot; means for applying heat to said mold, said heating means including resistance wires in said mold, a thermostatic switch mechanism in electrical communication with said resistance wires, and a source of electrical energy electrically con-- nected to said thermostatic switch; a rod positioned at substantially a right angle to and in alignment with said indentation, the upper end of said rod being slidably carried by said frame; a foot in engagement with the lower end or" said rod and in engagement with the inside of the bottom of said boot for applying pressure to said boot from said rod; a resilient means disposed above said mold, the upper end of said resilient means being abutted against said frame; a plate disposed against the lower end of said resilient means; and means interconnecting said plate and the upper end of said rod, said interconnecting means being so constructed and so cooperatively arranged with respect to said plate and said rod that said resilient means causes a force to be exerted by said foot on said boot for urging said sole into said indentation.

5. A. device for the purposes described comprising an upright frame; a mold carried by said frame for applying a sole to an upright boot, said mold having an indentation in the upper side thereof for receiving the bottom of said boot; means for applying heat to said mold; a rod positioned at substantially a right angle to and in alignment with said indentation, the upper end of said rod being slidably carried by said frame; an

articulated foot in engagement with the lower end of said rod and in engagement with the inside of the bottom of said boot for applying pressure to said boot from said rod; a resilient means disposed above said mold, the upper end of said resilient means being abutted against said frame; a plate disposed against the lower of said resilient means; and means interconnecting said plate and the upper end of said rod, said interconnecting means being so constructed and so cooperatively arranged. with respect to said plate and said rod that said resilient means causes a force to be exerted by said foot on said boot for urging said sole into said indentation.

vmr'ros E. DEWEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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